ESPN’s Buster Olney reported late last month that the Dodgers were “open to the idea” of trading away right fielder Andre Ethier this offseason.

But it doesn’t sound like it’s going to happen.

A source told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times on Saturday that Ethier is “not on the trading block.” Presumably because the Dodgers couldn’t find an organization willing to take on the $85 million in guaranteed money that remains on the 30-year-old’s somewhat-freshly-inked contract.

Ethier has posted an underwhelming .288/.359/.442 slash line since the start of the 2011 season. He has topped 30 home runs just once in his career and he’s trending in the wrong direction defensively.

Its called a new TV contract. Virtually the same one MLB blocked that forced the Dodgers to sell and have those money spending issues. New owners with HUGE pockets, new TV deals, now the second most valuable franchise in MLB and pushing the highest payroll in MLB. How fast it can change yes, but its not amazing or shocking in any way.

The current contract expires in 2013. The new network or contract could be the most lucrative in baseball. Knowing that allows the new owners to spend freely. Plus Magic Johnson isnt divorcing Mark Walter.

paperlions - Nov 11, 2012 at 10:22 AM

I know it could, but it doesn’t exist yet. The reason the Dodgers are spending now and were not before is because new ownership is awash in cash and old ownership was essentially broke and struggling to make payroll each month. If the previous owners had used money made owning the Dodgers on players, instead of using it is a personal piggy bank, they too could have had a $150M even before the new TV deal.

The main difference is that McCourt was always highly leveraged whereas the new ownership group has their own cash….not the banks.

Your missing the key reason the Dodgers even got sold. McCourt was going through a messy divorce. So what his assets, wealth, and income were suddenly were all in question. Thats why he struggled to make payroll. Not because he was broke, but because he was only aloud to spend money that was unquestionably his, which was not anything close to the bulk of his wealth. No divorce, big TV deal on the horizon im sure McCourt would spend, not as much as the new owners im sure, but it would have been up there to make sure he didnt lose people to the free spending Angels.

Ever since he broke the little finger on his right hand in 2011 he hasn’t been the same power wise. He’s had one decent month since then but there is no doubt a power shortage going on there. He’s not worth the $85-million dollar contract he signed and should be shopped. The team has Yasiel Puig about 2-years away so his shelf life is limited if he can’t plug back in soon.

Where do you guys get this stuff? Ethier is a fair to good defensive outfielder. He does get to most balls hit & has an above average throwing arm. If is true he has struggled with power since his broken digit two years ago. Hopefully McGuire will be able to get him back on track next season.